2019 -- S 0188

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LC001064

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES

COMMISSION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RHODE ISLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL

AND NATIONAL GRID INVESTIGATE AND DETERMINE THE CAUSES FOR THE

RECENT LOSS OF GAS UTILITY SERVICE ON AQUIDNECK ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Euer, DiPalma, Seveney, Coyne, and Ruggerio

     Date Introduced: January 31, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Beginning on Monday night, January 21, 2019, a natural gas shutdown on

Aquidneck Island affected 7,100 National Grid customers and occurred in the midst of a severely

bitter cold front that was hitting Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, With temperatures in the single digits until Tuesday morning and only rising

into the 20’s later that day, Aquidneck Island residents who had lost their gas heat were forced to

scramble and quickly find new places to stay, be it with relatives or at a hotel. They were, at the

least, severely inconvenienced, and this emergency possibly imperiled the health of some

citizens, especially the elderly, the very young, and the infirm; and

     WHEREAS, Area businesses were also impacted, as many were forced to close.

Employees lost wages and employers lost revenue as a result of this crisis; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, in conjunction

with the Rhode Island Attorney General and National Grid investigate and determine the causes

for the recent loss of gas utility service on Aquidneck Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby requests the Rhode Island Public Utilities

Commission to report back to the Senate on or before June 4, 2019; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Gina M. Raimondo, Governor of

the State of Rhode Island, Peter F. Neronha, Rhode Island Attorney General, Ms. Margaret

Curran, Chairperson of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, and Mr. Tim Horan,

President & COO, Rhode Island Jurisdiction, National Grid.

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LC001064

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